Sailing youth lessons

[aquabones]

Does anyone know anything about youth sailing lessons on Winnipeasaukee or Squam?

I understand there are lessons for children at Squam Lake Association and also at Lake Winnipesaukee sailing association. Has anyone sent their children to either one and can offer an opinion.
Thanks

[ishoot308]

Does anyone know anything about youth sailing lessons on Winnipeasaukee or Squam?

I understand there are lessons for children at Squam Lake Association and also at Lake Winnipesaukee sailing association. Has anyone sent their children to either one and can offer an opinion.
Thanks

I am a supporter of the LWSA and know many kids who have been to their sailing school. It is a first class top notch operation and everyone I know who has been enjoyed it immensely!!

Good luck!

Dan

[Barney Bear]

The Lake Winnipesaukee Sailing Association is located in Smith Cove in Gilford. We often see the young sailors as they navigate in Smith Cove, Glendale Harbor, and farther out on the Big Lake. There are several threads on this forum that pertain to the LWSA. Seek and ye shall find! ⚓️

[icg56]

My kids used both schools. Both have quality programs and geographic considerations are main drivers for beginners. I think LWSA offers more options down the line for more advanced students. ⅔ of my kids ended up sailing on college teams and as a family we now lease bareboat sailboats in the Carribean based on skills built from these programs.:)

[aquabones]

My kids used both schools. Both have quality programs and geographic considerations are main drivers for beginners. I think LWSA offers more options down the line for more advanced students. ⅔ of my kids ended up sailing on college teams and as a family we now lease bareboat sailboats in the Carribean based on skills built from these programs.:)

Thans for the info on your experience with LWSA.

[fatlazyless]

Beside the teaching and the type of sailboat that gets sailed, another way to compare the Squam sailing, https://www.squamlakes.org/education/summer-youth-programs, with the Winni sailing, https://www.lwsa.org/youth-classes, is to compare the home area for the two.

Do a google map/photo search for:

Smith Cove, Lake Winnipesaukee, Gilford, NH

Squam Lakes Association sailing, Holderness, NH

Am not saying one is better than the other, because what really matters is the sailing program, but they are very different lake locations concerning activity, number of boats, shoreline development, and commercial use. Big Squam is almost like an empty lake, surrounded by green hills and mountains, almost all to yourself, while Smith Cove, Winnipesaukee is like downtown Boston traffic at 2-pm on a Wednesday.... a very busy spot!

Smith Cove, Lake Winnipesaukee is a fascinating place totally loaded with many, many, moored sailboats from 15-40', Fay's Boat Yard with many motorboats, a dockside gas station, the NH Marine Patrol-State Police headquarters w/ police boats & docks, the Gilford town docks, Gilford town fire boat, parking lots for islandsers, a town boat double launch ramp, a Lake Winnipesaukee no wake zone, a number of commercial boat businesses at Fay's, many waterfront homes, and all the way back in Smith Cove is the Lake Winni sailing school in what was a single family home until two years ago.

And, the area of Smith Cove got all built in and out, up and down, back in the 1940's, 50's, 60's, & 70's with no local town zoning rules in place until the 1980's, plus town water and town sewer, so's the area is all packed in tight like a can of oily sardines or something ..... you really need to take a slow ride or a slow paddle/row all through Smith Cove to see it all ..... is a lot to see ...

[Barney Bear]

We have seen the LWSA develop over the years. Earlier, the program operated out of Fay's Boat Yard, which provided classroom space for the novice sailors. They now have their own facility adjacent to FBY deep in Smith Cove. There is sufficient area in this cove to offer a great program. As their proficiency progresses, the young sailors navigate out into Glendale harbor, and later, on out to more open areas of the lake. A variety of sailboats is included in the LWSA fleet. We suggest that the somewhat negative review of the Smith Cove location provided by FLL above not deter anyone from joining the wonderful LWSA program.

[Capstan]

So I was just looking online at sailing lessons for kids and adults nearby on www.lwsa.org and on www.squamlakes.org. Gilford is closer, but Squam has less boat traffic. I get that. Then I saw the types of boats. At LWSA in Gilford they have Open Pics, Optimists, 420 s, Sonars, and J80 s. So they have small boats but they also teach kids and adults on the big boats like 26foot Sonar and J80. Squam only has small Optimists and Club Juniors. The other thing is that in Gilford the 420 sailboats the kids use are the main sailboats that high school and college sailing teams use and the J80 boat is a popular racing boat for adults. The Squam sailboats are not really useful later in life. That is important to me. Maybe the kids will sail in high school or college.

[Capstan]

But which one costs more ?

[FlyingScot]

I disagree that the kids should sail boats that will be "useful later in life". The fundamentals are identical. Much more important is the quality of instruction and the frequency of access. I'd also say cost (except in the extreme) should be only a small consideration. You're trying to prep them for a lifetime pursuit--just put smiles on their faces with good teachers!

[Capstan]

Thanks. Good point you made. If the sailing school is bigger or better developed or smaller and less boats...kids are gonna have fun sailing and that is the most important thing. Plus we want them to learn water safety and boat safety young. A sailing school seems like a good way to do that too.

[Żeglarz]

Hi Capstan, I notice that you asked about the cost of sailing school programs. At LWSA, one stated goal is breaking down financial barriers to sailing, so that every kid has a chance to sail. Therefore, LWSA offers financial aid scholarships to any family that cannot afford sailing school. As far as I have heard, no family has ever been turned away because they couldn't afford it. Spreading the word, because I really think that is an amazing thing. Prices for sailing classes are here: https://www.lwsa.org/youth-classes and the information about financial aid is here: https://www.lwsa.org/financial-aid

[Żeglarz]

I almost forgot to say that if price is a concern or your kids just want to try sailing out early in the summer, LWSA has after school lessons in May and June that are only $99 a week and "snow day" sailing after school in June too also only $99 a week. See: https://www.lwsa.org/afterschool-sailing or course numbers 104 and 204 at https://www.lwsa.org/youth-classes